Modal Shift Research Articles

There’s no such thing as cycle traffic: A critical discourse analysis of public opposition to pro-cycle planning

Across a variety of low-cycling contexts, there are ambitious targets to reduce private car use and increase cycling to decarbonise everyday mobility practices. A component of many plans to achieve this modal shift is through active travel measures that redistribute rights to space, access or speed in a way that may prioritise cycling over driving. However, public opposition to proposals that might reduce the relative accessibility of driving can limit the possibility and scope of redistributive active travel measures, thereby preventing timely climate action and broader transport system change. In this study, we explored public opposition to a major redistributive active travel scheme proposed in the electoral county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, located within the Dublin Metropolitan Area of Ireland, to examine more broadly how car-based automobility is politically sustained in this unique context. We focused our analysis on 150 public consultation submissions using Faircloughian Critical Discourse Analysis. In this paper, we present several major properties of an oppositional ‘technical discourse of transport planning’, that is normatively car-centric: ‘traffic’ as car-based (im)mobility, roads as ‘traffic’ spaces, ‘traffic’ as an immutable substance, and traffic demand-led planning. We interrogate the historical origins of this discourse in the context of Ireland and consider its effects on planning practices in relation to reproducing car-based automobility. Lastly, we conclude with recommendations that can form part of a counter-discourse that is more compatible with transport decarbonisation targets: wording cycle mobility as ‘cycle traffic’, construing redistributive cycleways as spaces of ‘traffic conversion’ rather than ‘traffic diversion’, and saliently outlining a principle of vision-led planning in redistributive active travel measures, amidst prevailing assumptions that transport planning ought to continue as a primarily ‘demand-led’ practice.

Examining the long-term reduction in commuting emissions from working from home

To develop effective climate strategies, it is necessary to model the long-term impacts of combined policy measures. This study examines how an increase in working-from-home (WFH) practices, coupled with higher private car fleet penetration of electric vehicles (EVs), could change commuting patterns and associated emissions. Simulations for the Dublin Region show that if half of white-collar workers were WFH and EVs made up one-third of the fleet as forecasted for 2030, emissions from travel activities could be reduced by up to 35% for carbon dioxide (CO2) and 25% for particulate matter (PM). However, transitioning from a moderate to a high WFH scenario may not deliver significant benefits in terms of travel length, modal shift, and emissions reduction. In addition, a decrease in commuter trips can lead to an increase in other trips. This suggests that there is a need for additional measures to discourage car usage when commuter trips decline.

Which factors influence the use of shared and privately-owned e-scooters in the city of Madrid? Implications for urban mobility

Micromobility using fully-electric two-wheeled vehicles is increasing in cities worldwide. E-scooters, whether shared or privately-owned, provide short door-to-door trips by facilitating the first/last mile stage of the journey. They are expected to improve livability in cities by reducing harmful emissions and space occupation. In this respect, understanding travel behavior and usage patterns is essential to regulate them appropriately. The purpose of this study is to determine individuals' sociodemographic variables, mobility-related attributes, and latent constructs influencing e-scooter usage. To that end, an individual-level model is estimated to explain the adoption and frequency of use of both shared and private e-scooters based on survey data. The research takes the city of Madrid as a case study, and contributes to a deeper understanding of the differences in the use of privately-owned and shared e-scooters, with a particular focus on the influence of mobility habits and attitudinal variables. The study is complemented with some insights on shared e-scooter usage at the trip-level, which shows the substitution caused on walking trips, and their limited ability to promote modal shifts from the private car. Finally, the research provides valuable implications for urban dynamics and feedback for policymakers and transport planners.

Decarbonizing passenger transportation in developing countries: Lessons and perspectives1

This paper examines the challenges and opportunities in decarbonizing the passenger road transportation sector by reviewing recent empirical evidence and drawing lessons for developing countries. It first identifies the advantages and disadvantages of various policy instruments to promote modal shifts and vehicle fuel efficiency, and then discusses the potential impacts of electrification and ride-hailing in transportation decarbonization. While developing countries face formidable challenges in reducing carbon emissions from passenger transportation due to income and population growth, the paper argues that a unique window of opportunity exists to foster a culture of sustainable travel behavior by expanding public transit in combination with market-based pricing policies.

University commuting during the COVID-19 pandemic: Changes in travel behaviour and mode preferences

One prominent change induced by the COVID-19 pandemic concerns the worldwide use of public transportation for commuting purposes. This study focused on university commuting in Italy by examining the propensity to change transport modes under different infection risk scenarios. Data were collected in 2020 through an online survey of college mobility conducted by the Italian University Network for Sustainable Development. Asking the respondents to consider both a pessimistic and an optimistic scenario, with respect to the risk odds of being infected, we followed a two-step approach to study the prospective travel habits of college users. First, we tested a logit model to estimate the propensity to abandon one's pre-COVID-19 commuting mode. Then, we investigated the factors influencing the choice of switching from public transportation to either cars or active modes by estimating a multinomial logit model. By exploiting the novelty of considering two risk scenarios, this study highlighted that, especially in the pessimistic case, the change to active modes was constrained by spatial aspects in favour of motorized vehicles. From a policy perspective, this COVID-19-based natural experiment advocates transportation authorities taking effective actions to ensure that, in case of emergencies, a modal shift would not benefit more-polluting transport means.

Prioritizing solutions to mitigate the risks due to adoption of intermodal railroad freight transportation for achieving sustainable development goals

Multiple cleaner strategies are being devised by governments worldwide to incorporate approaches aligning with sustainable development goals (SDGs), placing particular emphasis on the modal shift from unimodal road to intermodal railroad (IRR) freight transportation. This shift is gaining traction due to its documented positive impact on environmental, economic, and social sustainability. However, adopting IRR freight transportation in emerging economies faces hurdles, primarily attributable to inherent modal shift risks (MSRs). Addressing these MSRs requires the implementation of modal shift solutions (MSSs). This study aims to prioritize the MSSs to mitigate the impact of MSRs in IRR adoption, focusing on achieving SDGs with a case study conducted in the Indian logistics sector. The study is structured into four phases. The first phase identifies 37 sub-MSRs, categorized into seven main MSRs, accompanied by the 39 MSSs for IRR freight transportation adoption. The second phase employs the spherical fuzzy Bayesian best-worst method (SF-BBWM) to assess the relative weights of main and sub-MSRs. The third phase uses the spherical fuzzy C-means clustering (SF-CMC) algorithm to identify crucial MSSs. Finally, the fourth phase utilizes the spherical fuzzy combinative distance-based assessment (SF-CODAS) to prioritize these crucial MSSs. From the identified MSSs, pivotal solutions include developing an integrated physical IRR network across the freight transport chain and fostering relationships between stakeholders through long-term contracts and strategic partnerships. The available results are discussed to facilitate logistics stakeholders’ understanding of the implementation of MSSs aligning with SDGs to mitigate the impact of MSRs.

Evaluation of the impact of exclusive bus lanes on traffic in Tashkent

This study evaluates the impact of exclusive bus lanes on traffic in broader traffic networks over an extended timeframe. Using PTV Vissim to model existing traffic conditions, we introduced exclusive bus lanes and studied future traffic conditions considering a modal shift, as inferred from a binary logistic model developed using Stata. The findings reveal that, while exclusive bus lanes significantly enhance bus performance on designated streets, reducing travel time by 37%, they do not improve bus performance on other roads, as indicated by the unchanged levels of service (LOS) in the broader network. However, a modal shift analysis suggests a positive long-term effect on overall traffic, indicating that approximately 33% of car users may shift to using buses following the introduction of exclusive bus lanes. Origin-destination analysis revealed that exclusive bus lanes reduce intersection permeability, leading to congestion that varies based on the traffic flow direction.

Addressing the occupancy problem of Soekarno-Hatta Airport rail link during its first five years of operation

Airport rail links have long been acknowledged as a crucial component of the modern transportation system. Their attractiveness among air travellers stems from their convenience, speed, and environmental benefits. Despite their advantages, these services often face several occupancy problems that hinder their effectiveness and efficiency. Soekarno-Hatta airport rail link’s operation in 2018-2022 has been marked by low occupancy. This study aims to assess the realisations of several critical attributes of a successful airport rail link service according to TRB studies in the context of the Soekarno-Hatta airport rail link. In this context, it was shown that only four of the seven key attributes have met the minimal level to attain such goals. Despite numerous strategies undertaken during the period, which coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic, most fall under the operating or service adjustments category. The minimal realisations of the seven key attributes confirm the low occupancy levels, yet efforts to increase the ridership were limited during the pandemic. These findings provide avenues for a more successful transfer of operations from PT Railink to PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia with the clear intention of boosting the rail link’s ridership. Alongside several expansion plans by the Directorate General of Railways, the findings shall help public policymakers promote a modal shift and pave the way towards a broader integration with other modes of public transportation in the Jabodetabek region.

Modal Shift to Rail Transport as a Mitigation Measure to Decarbonize the Transport Sector: Review of Barriers and Opportunities

Modal Shift to Rail Transport as a Mitigation Measure to Decarbonize the Transport Sector: Review of Barriers and Opportunities

Multimodal Discourse Analysis of English Teaching Materials in Colleges and Universities from the Perspective of Ecological Philosophical Perspective

Abstract English teaching materials serve as a critical vehicle for instruction, with well-designed materials fostering positive learning habits and interests among students. This study employs an ecological philosophy approach and multimodal discourse analysis to examine the modal shifts in college English textbooks. It utilizes the BiFPN network model to capture image features within these materials. Furthermore, the TF-IDF method extracts key terms from the textbook text, while the integration of a CNN-GRU model facilitates the classification of these terms. Additionally, this research introduces relevant computational formulas from text readability theory to evaluate the difficulty levels of these textbooks. The analysis focuses on the “New Vision College English Textbook” series, volumes Compulsory 1 through Compulsory 4. It explores the semantic relationships between text and graphics, chapter-specific reading challenges, and overall text readability indices. Findings indicate that the average proportion of graphic-text equality relations stands at 58.30%, with the highest occurrence of images depicting detailed relationships totaling 217. The Grade Level index for Compulsory 4 reaches 1.61, signifying a high complexity, whereas the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) score for Compulsory 1 peaks at 75.42, suggesting easier comprehension. In contrast, Compulsory 2 and Compulsory 4 exhibit lower readability scores. Through multimodal discourse analysis, the study delineates the varying difficulty levels across college English textbooks, advocating for a graded approach to textbook development that aligns with students’ evolving competencies. This strategy is poised to significantly boost students’ engagement and facilitate more effective learning.

Academic Performance of Local City College Senior High School Students During the Face-To-Face and Bichronous Teaching Modalities

This study endeavors to discern meaningful associations between the academic achievements of senior high school students within local city colleges across two distinct teaching modalities. Specifically, it aims to explore potential relationships and disparities in academic performance between the conventional face-to-face teaching approach during the initial semester of the 2019-2020 academic year and the bichronous teaching modality adopted in the corresponding semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. Furthermore, the investigation seeks to ascertain whether noteworthy differences emerge in academic performance when comparing the two teaching modalities. The research employs a quantitative research design, embracing a sample of 115 participants comprising 62 male and 53 female students. The resultant findings present a comprehensive picture of the observed relationships and disparities. The discerned outcomes are as follows: Remarkably, despite the abrupt transition prompted by the pandemic-induced changes, a significant relationship persists in the academic performance of students. This finding underscores the adaptability and resilience demonstrated by students in navigating teaching modality shifts. Moreover, the study reveals a significant variance across sexes for both teaching modalities examined, reflecting nuanced dynamics inherent to gender-related academic performance. In summation, this investigation signifies the commendable performance of most of the Local City College Senior High School students in both face-to-face and bichronous teaching modalities. This study contributes to the evolving understanding of the interplay between pedagogical approaches and academic achievements, thereby informing educational strategies and responses to dynamic instructional contexts.

A MODAL SHIFT, BUT HOW?

In this paper, we investigate the conditions that must be met for modal shift (i.e., the transfer of freight transport from road to rail). In addition to describing the competitiveness conditions, the paper makes technical and organizational proposals for rail freight traffic management. One of the most important conditions is that rail-road intermodal freight transport must be competitive in time and price with unimodal road freight transport. The freight transport model presented in this article provides a solution to this problem and an approach to estimating the additional intermodal freight traffic. Another important criterion is the relatively dense network of road-rail links, known as intermodal transshipment points (ITPs) along main railway lines. The proposed model can be compared to the freight transport model described in the term Physical Internet, with the addition that the objective is to minimize road haulage when locating ITPs (or hubs). ITPs are rail-road terminals or, more precisely, transshipment points, which differ substantially from the commonly used continental terminals. The third condition to be met is a horizontal container handling procedure that can be applied efficiently (i.e., at low cost) under the railway catenary and is capable of handling intermodal units used in continental traffic and maritime freight. Finally, an example for the Visegrád countries is presented. The essence of the example is the potential additional freight traffic or modal shift that could be included in the proposed ITP network. We believe that a modal shift could occur for up to 50% of the indicated heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic if the offer is competitive.

Measuring the air pollution benefits of public transport projects

We discuss two approaches to estimating the air quality impacts of public transit projects, focusing on Metro projects in the context of developing countries: air quality modeling and reduced-form econometric methods. As we illustrate, pollution reductions due to Metro projects implied by pollutant chemistry, vehicle emissions factors, and modal shifts may differ from econometric estimates of the impact of transit projects on ambient pollution concentrations. We discuss both approaches and illustrate how economics researchers can use estimated emissions reductions associated with a transit project and pollutant chemistry as a check on their estimates of changes in ambient concentrations.

Decarbonization through modal shift using a synchromodal platform: A case study in the Great Lakes

This paper offers an empirical study to explore the relationship between transportation modalities and environmental concerns, promoting the adoption of synchromodality as a strategic pathway to achieving sustainable freight transport. The study uses a synchromodal freight transportation platform to analyze the impact of carbon tax policy on modal shift and environmental sustainability. The synchromodal platform is based on an optimization model using Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP), incorporating carbon tax as a surrogate measure for environmental costs. A sensitivity analysis is conducted across four distinct scenarios in a case study in the Great Lakes region, focusing on the Canada-US transborder trade. The results of this study illustrate the considerable potential for increasing the utilization of more environmentally sustainable transportation modes in this region. While the addition of carbon tax entails increased total transportation costs for each unit of cargo, the synchromodal-enabled modal shift promises to mitigate transportation’s negative externalities, including congestion, environmental impacts, and noise pollution. The results also highlight the role of synchromodality as a catalyst for sustainable freight transport decisions in the context of a carbon-conscious world.

Factors Influencing the use of MRT service in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Mass Rapid Transit, also known as MRT, was introduced by the Malaysian government as an alternative transport mode to address issues related to congestion and road traffic crashes as well as improve public transportation connectivity. Alternative transport modes may not be successful in attracting road users to shift their mode from private if the service provided fails to meet the users’ expectations. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the factors that influence the modal shift to MRT, which could potentially increase its ridership and reduce congestion as well as risk on the road. Thus, this study aimed to identify the factors influencing the use of MRT service in Klang Valley. The factors influencing the users’ decision to modal shift from private vehicles to MRT upon completion of the MRT SBK line were measured through a face-to-face questionnaire survey comprising three sections asking for the respondents’ demographic information, their trip profile, and their MRT usage experience. Based on the MRT usage experience, the respondents were given the choice of answers based on the 5-point Likert scale to rate the 19 factor-related statements indicating the factors that encourage the users to use MRT. Using exploratory factor analysis, four dimensions were identified to explain 19 statements: service quality, travel satisfaction, travel value, and connecting facility. Further analysis using the Rasch model was carried out to measure the reliability and validity of the 19 statements indicating the factors influencing the use of MRT based on the 500 respondents received. Analysis of the results indicated that the most influential factors that encourage people to shift their mode of transportation from private to MRT include the convenience of MRT service, cost, and time. Findings of this study support the idea that MRT is a good transport choice with minimal exposure to road crashes. Results from the reliability and validity test also suggested increasing the diversity of respondents since the value of respondents’ separation is only slightly good enough.

A population-based study of the trend in SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic modalities from the beginning of the pandemic to the Omicron surge in Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents critical diagnostic challenges for managing the pandemic. We investigated the 30-month changes in COVID-19 testing modalities and functional testing sites from the early period of the pandemic to the most recent Omicron surge in 2022 in Kyoto City, Japan.MethodsThis is a retrospective-observational study using a local anonymized population database that included patients' demographic and clinical information, testing methods and facilities from January 2020 to June 2022, a total of 30 months. We computed the distribution of symptomatic presentation, testing methods, and testing facilities among cases. Differences over time were tested using chi-square tests of independence.ResultsDuring the study period, 133,115 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported, of which 90.9% were symptomatic. Although nucleic acid amplification testing occupied 68.9% of all testing, the ratio of lateral flow devices (LFDs) rapidly increased in 2022. As the pandemic continued, the testing capability was shifted from COVID-19 designated facilities to general practitioners, who became the leading testing providers (57.3% of 99,945 tests in 2022).ConclusionsThere was a dynamic shift in testing modality during the first 30 months of the pandemic in Kyoto City. General practitioners increased their role substantially as the use of LFDs spread dramatically in 2022. By comprehending and documenting the evolution of testing methods and testing locations, it is anticipated that this will contribute to the establishment of an even more efficient testing infrastructure for the next pandemic.

An accessibility-based methodology to identify corridor speed upgrades in the European rail network

The European Union's Trans-European Transport Network policy (TEN-T) is a key instrument for developing rail networks and achieving the European Union's modal shift and territorial cohesion objectives as set out in the White Paper on Transport. High-speed rail (HSR) is a key element of this policy, as the core TEN-T rail network is to be designed for high speeds. Since the effectiveness of HSR in achieving its objectives has been repeatedly criticized, it is difficult to justify the high cost of developing rail corridors for such speeds. The European Commission has therefore proposed a reduction in the minimum speeds for HSR in a revised proposal concerning the regulation defining the TEN-T network. In this paper, we apply the betweenness-accessibility methodology to model the contribution of each rail corridor in the European long-distance rail network to the accessibility by rail of EU metropolitan regions. After simulating the completion of the already defined TEN-T network which is to be completed by 2030, we simulate speed increases on all remaining corridors with speeds below 160 km/h up to this speed to evaluate the potential accessibility gains of these speed increases. A total of 13 corridors have been selected for the estimation of their upgrade costs, most of which are in Eastern Europe. The upgrade costs were compared with the potential accessibility gains to provide guidance on the most cost-effective way to improve rail accessibility on the European long-distance rail network.

Optimization of river container port-access transport based on the innovatively designed electric ship in the Yangtze River Delta

In order to increase the share of the container port-access transport of river shipping and reduce the carbon emissions of container transportation, this study innovates the design of wide and shallow draft river ship and its electric power system based on the navigation condition of the rivers in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) with the objective of raising the advantage in river shipping to truck transport. To validate the ship's practicability, we incorporate the carbon quota of container port-access transport as a constraint and build a model to optimize the river liner service for container port-access transport. The case study reveals that the adoption of innovative 48 TEU electric river ship for container port-access transport will be associated with a rise in the mode share of river liner shipping from 16.1% to 20.0%, a decrease in carbon emission by 0.124 million tons and a decrease of 0.358 billion CNY in container port-access transport in the YRD, while the higher the carbon tax price the more the modal shift will be, however, since the carbon emission cost is a part of the total transport cost, the total transport cost exhibits an upward trend.

Does emphasis change in transportation mode choice affect workers’ actual mode choice? Implications from Japan in the COVID-19 era

Although modal shift from private motorized vehicles to public and active transport is regarded as crucially important for a sustainable society, such a shift has not been successful in Japan. One reason may be that measures have not satisfied the latent factors underlying people's transportation mode choices. Moreover, these factors may have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is aimed at ascertaining what workers have emphasized in transportation mode choice, and how those emphases have affected their actual mode choice. We also examined how changes in individuals' emphases during the pandemic have affected their actual mode choices. We used a four-time panel survey with 1377 respondents from Japan that asked participants about important items related to their transportation mode choice and activity patterns at four time points before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. After conducting a factor analysis to ascertain the latent factors behind mode choice, we applied a logistic regression model showing whether or not the respondents used each transportation mode at each time point. A conditional logistic regression model with individual fixed effect was applied to the relationship between an individual's change in emphasis and actual mode choice. Factor analysis results indicated four latent factors: usability and reliability, personal time–space, attitude toward the environment and health, and ease of use and convenience. A higher emphasis on personal time–space encouraged car use and discouraged public transport use at any time points. This trend became stronger during the pandemic. Changes in the emphasis level of this factor for an individual also affected the actual mode choice. A higher emphasis on usability and reliability also discouraged public transport use. Ease of use and convenience encouraged public transport use, and attitude toward the environment and health neither encouraged nor discouraged actual mode choice at any time point. Emphases related to transportation mode choice changed over time. However, changes in individuals' emphasis altered the actual mode choice at some time points but not at others. These results should be considered in transportation planning in order to prompt desired modal shifts by transportation users.

Towards a corpus-based approach to graphic elements in creative subtitling

Abstract This article explores how a corpus-based approach allows us to describe and analyze the multimodal complexity of graphic elements in creative subtitling. To this end, the article focuses on a YouTube channel, Apenjie with Dawang, featuring a dog and its owner. This channel’s subtitling strategies were experimental with multiple graphic elements (colors, positions, font sizes, and emojis). Informed by a social semiotic approach to multimodality, a corpus of 1,155 coupled pairs of Chinese-English subtitles was annotated for modal shifts and metafunctional shifts. Some major findings include: (a) emojis were much more likely to be added to the target subtitles for the animals than for the humans; (b) speaker-identifying graphic elements (color and position) were lost in the target subtitles, but emojis were systematically added to mark animals as the speakers; (c) the addition of emojis evoked complementary-interpersonal meanings, suggesting that the subtitlers might have prioritized audience engagement over textual fidelity; (d) although the target subtitles used fewer graphic elements, the semiotic meanings could be similar or complementary to those of the source subtitles. Based on these findings, the article also discusses the opportunities and challenges of a corpus-based approach to graphic elements in creative subtitling.